Spectator's Guide: The Five Best Ways to Watch a Bicycle Race in Person

The Route

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Decide in advance where you’ll catch the action—get a copy of the route and road closings on the race website or at the start village. Don’t limit yourself to one spot. Many stages allow spectators to leapfrog the race and see the pack pass multiple times before heading to the finish.

Pay attention to the terrain when you’re picking spots, too. Avoid wide-open, flat roads and anything downhill; the riders will be going incredibly fast in these sections and you’ll probably end up with an unsatisfying nanosecond glimpse of the pack. Instead, try to get to a climb—the higher the better—where you can often get a good look at the riders as they come up switchbacks and turns. If it’s a really tough or steep climb, expect the pack to be broken up into smaller groups.